FIG. 11 (A) is a view which explains a conventional IC carrier and a method for using the same.
As shown in FIG. 11(A), an IC carrier 41 has an IC module 42 mounted on, which includes a CPU, memories, electrodes, etc. integrated. The IC carrier 41 is used as, for example, SIMs (Subscriber Identity Module) of portable telephones, etc.
A user acquires an SIM, which corresponds to a telephone subscription, and can buy a portable telephone 50 of common specifications in accordance with his use, and he uses the portable telephone 50 with the SIM (the IC carrier 41) mounted thereon.
However, the IC carrier 41 is not sufficiently prevalent and is limited in uses, and construction of special plants for mass-production of the IC carrier 41 will lead to cost increase. In a case that the IC carrier 41 is used as an SIM, the IC carrier 41 is mailed in an envelope, and its enveloping operation is bothering. A subscriber who has received the SIM might erroneously handle and break the SIM before mounting the SIM on the portable telephone 50 or might lose the SIM.
In consideration of the above, it is proposed that the IC card 40 is formed by conventional equipment, and as shown in FIG. 11(B), a slit 44 for facilitating the removal of the IC card 40 is formed in a sheet frame 43 with bridges 45 left at a plurality of positions to enable the IC carrier 41 alone to be removed for use. This proposal allows not only the conventional equipments for producing and inspecting the IC card but also the conventional issue and mail systems of the IC card to be used as they are.
However, in the IC carrier of such conventional structure, when the IC carrier is removed form the IC base, disadvantageously loads, such as flex, torsion, etc. are applied to the IC module 42, with possible risks of breakage, leap-out, etc. Disadvantageously the bridges remain as residual projections when the IC carrier is removed from the sheet frame 43, which makes it difficult for the IC carrier is placed in a mount of the portable telephone 50 and which reversely may damage the IC carrier.
FIG. 12(A) is a view which explains another example of the conventional IC carrier.
An application (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 276870/1995) filed by the applicant of the present application before the filing of the present application proposed an IC card 40 comprising, as shown in FIG. 12(B), an adhesive layer 46a provided on one surface of a sheet frame 43 having a recess, and a backing film 46 adhered to the backside of the sheet frame 43 through the adhesive layer 46a. An IC carrier 41 is held fixed in the recess by the adhesive layer 46a applied to the backing film 46.
This example also needs the step specialized in providing the backing film 46 to the backside of the sheet frame 43, which disadvantageously adds to costs. Disadvantageously it is difficult to adhere the baking film 46 flat with no air layer between the sheet frame 43 and the same.